Afghanistan’s election stalement shows no sign of abating amid fraud and recount controversy
Constitutional vacuum looms if impasse is not broken
ICOS proposes formula for interim government in a bid to help country emerge from political quagmire
LONDON AND KABUL – Urgent leadership is required in guiding Afghanistan out of its electoral deadlock, according to an elections update released today by the International Council on Security and Development (ICOS).
The presidential election on August 20 was marked by heavy fraud and widespread manipulation, says the report. Nearly a month after the first round of voting, the independent Election Complaints Commission has ordered a partial recount of 2500 polling stations, or 15% of the total ballots cast (according to the head of the IECC).
According to ICOS, this recount could easily take President Hamid Karzai below the “more than 50%” needed to secure victory in the first round of voting, triggering a run-off, for which the country is ill-prepared.
Under Afghan electoral law, a run-off should be held within two weeks of the final election results. The protracted electoral fraud investigation means that it will not be possible to hold a run-off before November. By this time, Afghanistan’s harsh winter will have set in, making it impossible to hold a vote in many areas of the country. A second round would be delayed until May – “leaving Afghanistan in a constitutional vacuum for eight months”, according to ICOS President Norine MacDonald.
ICOS reports that, given constitutional and logistical problems, there are few options available to help Afghanistan out of this political wasteland.
If President Karzai chooses to impose a state of emergency (which would allow him to legally continue governing) current political tensions would be exacerbated. After four months of a state of emergency, the President is legally bound to hold a Loya Jirga, a Grand Council, in order to extend the suspension of the Constitution.
However, as ICOS warned in its August report, “Afghanistan Elections: Guns and Money”, there are no logistical plans in place for holding a second round of voting or for maintaining political stability in the country during the interim period.
ICOS reports that, given constitutional and logistical problems, there are few options available to help Afghanistan out of this political wasteland.
More...
> All Press Releases
